Composing apparatus for type-setting machines



Dec. 25, 1928.

, R. BARENNES COMPOSING APPARATUS FOR TYPE SETTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 1, 1926 5 Sheet s-Sheet //VV/V7'0R R00 erf Ba renn es 5 W flfiys Dec. 25, 1928; 1,696,515

R. BARENNES CONPOSING APPARATUS FOR TYPE SETTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 1, 1926 '6 Sheets-Sheet 2 M/VE/VTUR Haber-Z Barennes M f ZQ/Z r%fiw 651 W I W Dec. 25, 1928.

R. BARENNES courosme APPARATUS FORVTYPE SETTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 1, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 25, 1928.

ROBERT BARENNES, OF IBDRIDEAUX, FRANCE.

OOIVZPOSING: APPARATUS FOR TYPE-SETTING- IEACHINEE Application filed December 1, 1926, Serial No. 152,016, and in France August 23, 1925.

classes of Work which are precisely those which printers are most frequently asked to carry out. These classes of Work comprise, tor instance, lists, invoices, conveyance letters, etc, which are printed in large quantities.

The difiiculty of carrying out this kind of Work on composing machines is explained by their construction itself. The latter have, in fact, been created for the purpose of permitting the rapid and cheap manufacture of books and newspapers in which there is only the Work of soacl 1 the Words to be done and not that of arranging the Words, since all the lines are filled in the same line adjustment. This is not the case with the special classes of work mentioned above, in Which the arrangement of the type is complicated.

lVith certain typesetting machines it is possible to carry out some kinds of special work, such as lists, but this can only be done with considerable ditlicultyand consequently the cost is high. h loreover, the machines which lend themselves to this kind of Work only dispose or a. limited number of charactors which can be employed at the same time and this again proves an obstacle in employing); these machines for Work of all kinds. For the type-setting machine to be able to replace hand setting for all the kinds of typographical Work mentioned above, this machine must dispose of a large number of characters and it mustbe able to set type into any arrangement. Further, as the machines employ the matrices as they have been produced by the cutters, that is to say matrices of varying thickness, as Were the movable iharacters which the cutters employed as models for making their matrices, it is sary to complete the typesetting machine by an apparatus constructed in such a Way as to permit the operator to know any moment, very visibly, the total thickness ozt the composed matrices. Some known composing machines certainly comprise a drum (composing drum) upon which the abovenientioned summation is effected, but the arrangement of the drum in question is such that it is practically impossible for the op erator to employ it and he cannot consequent 1);, follow it as a guide in the desired setting of the type he wishes to obtain.

The subject of the present invention is an apparatus adapted for use upon an existing typesetting machine, the construction of which apparatus has been specially designed to give the operator, at each moment, with absolute accuracy and in a. very clear and very visible manner, an indication. of the total thickness of the composed matrices at the moment under consideration. In general the thicknesses of the matrices in typesetting machines vary. Further, these thatrices cannot be stopped along their path of move-n'ient in order to be calibrated. It is therefore not possible to employ the matrices themselves for actuating the device measuring the thicknesses and the total thickness.

The apparatus forming the subject of the invention enables, bymeansof its special construction which is hereinafter described. the total of the known thicknesses oi predetermined elements to be calculated Without employing these elements themselves for the calculation and Without interfering with the Working of the type-setting machine.

According to theinvention, an apparatus which enables the above-stated result to be obtained is constructed in the following manner:

(0) Either by means of sectors correspond ing to the thicknesses of the matrices and given a continuous movement of rotation, the said sectors being combined with an intermediate member which is also rotatable and which serves as" an engaging and disengaging member and acts during a given time corresponding to the time a. sector takes to make one complete revolution.

Or by means of sectors also corresponding to the thickness of the 1natrices,-Which sectors are given a movement of oscillation or rotation at the moment when the operator presses upon a key of the keyboard, an intermediate oscillating system actuating the engaging and disengaging apparatus the so tion of which is instantaneous (and for which, consequently the time necessary for engagement or disengagement does not enter into account). In such an apparatus the dimension of interest of each sector is the radius of eccentricity of its part corresponding to the thickness of the matrices.

Provisionally, for fitting the device (specified under 6) to existing machines which only offer a small space, use will be made of rods the length of wnich will correspond to the thickness of the matrices, these rods rising under the action of-the sectors which are given a movement of oscillation or rotation. The sectors will then all have the same dimension.

By wayof example of a practical embodiment of the invention, an apparatus will now be described conforming to Example (6).

in a general way, the apparatus in question is characterized by the combination, with driving and controlling members, of a pointer moving over a dial in order to indicate at each moment the total thickness of composition, of a shaft upon which are loosely mounted cams the number of which is equal to that of the matrices (corresponding to the keyboard of the typesetting machine upon which the apparatus is mounted), each of the said cams corresponding to the thickness of the matrix it represents.

In the apparatus which is adapted for use on existing machines, the cams loosely mounted on the shaft are all of the same size and the distance from this shaft to the lever controlling the needle will be equal to the large radius of eccentricity of these cams. In this case, the cams, instead of acting directly upon the said lever, will act through the medium of rods the length of which will be proportional to the thickness of the matrices.

Each time the operator presses upon one of the keys of the keyboard, the mechanism acts in order to cause an advance of the indicating pointer, which advance isproportional to the thickness of the matrix which the pressure of his finger has put into movement. .t is' consequently sutiicient to divide the dial into typographical measures for the operator to have constantly before his eyes the state of the composition he is making and for him to be thus able to regulate very accurately the arrangement of the matrices in order to obtain the required setting.

When the invention is applied to a composing machine provided with several iii-agazines, for example. two or four, an equal numher of cam shafts or rod carrying frames will be provided which will be interchangeable with the same ease as the magazines themselves.

If, in composing a line. use has to be made of the characters from several magazines, the recording on the dial will be effected automatically, as easily as when the work is done with only one magazine. It is convenient to note, in this connection, that all the matrices of the same letter, of the same font and of the same nature have the same thickness.

Independently of the automatic movementof the needle controlled by the above-mentioncd mechanism, the operator can at will produce the displacement of the said needle, thus enabling him to record the matrices of the half case or the matrices of a point or a point and a half, which, as they are not composed with the aid of the keyboard are naturally not recorded automatically.

In the accompanying drawing is illustrated, in an absolutely diagrammatic manner, and only by way of example. this form of the apparatus forming the subject of the inveir tion.

Figure 1 is an elevation of the mechanism projected on a plane perpendicular to the cam shaft.

Figure 2 is a section along the line Il -ll in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a similar section of a detail in the case of the application of the device to :ting machines.

Figures l and 5 represent in perspective, two complet assemblies of levers, sectors and pinions involved in the operation of the device.

The general arrangement of the ap iiaratus is as follows A lever 1 adapted to oscillate about the fixed shaft 2 is controlled by the movein t of the counterpoises or from any other part the machine connected with the keyboard or either directly or through the medium of a mechanical movement adapted to reduce the trouble in fingering which the actuation of any apparatus by the exertion of pressure upon the keys would occasion.

One of the branches of the bell crank lever 1 carries a toothed sector 3 which engages with the pinion a which is rigidly secured to a cam 5. The machine comprises as many cams 5 as the magazine comprises matrices. Each cam 5 (with its control lever 1) corresponds to a matrix, the shape of the i cams being chosen in such a way that the difference between the radii represents either the thickness of a matrix or the value of the difference between the thickness of the smallest matrix and that of the matrix considered.

All the cams 5 with their pinions are adapted to turn upon a fixed shaft (5.

l Vhen the operator presses upon one of the keys of the keyboard. the lever l oscillates and, through the medium of the sector 3 and the pinion t, this movement produces a rotation of the corresponding cam 5 this rotation of the cam 5 causes the lever T, which turns about the lixed shaft 8. to be raised.

In case the device is fitted to existing machines all the levers are provided with extensions or rods 20 placed at right angles to sad levers, the number of the rods being equal to that of the cams and the length of the rods being proportional to the width of the matrices.

The cams have then the same shape and their dimensions would be proportional, for example, to the largest matrices of the smallest body.

These rods will be slidably carried in a frame 521 which will coi'itain them all. They will be held in this frame by means of cross bars 22 along which they slide, during their upward movement, through the medium of a slideway 223 which will be formed in their thickness. The lever 7 will then be raised by means of the rod 20.

At its other end the lever 'Z' is provided with a toothed sector 9 which engages with a pin ion 10 keyed upon an oscillating shaft 11. Under these conditions the movement of the lever 7 produced by the action of the cam 5 gives rise to a rotation of the shaft 11, the amplitude of which rotation is proportional to the thickness of the matrix brought into action. Further, upon the shaft 11 is keyed a disc 12 with which is operatively combined a plate 13 loosely mounted upon the shaft and COHlPllSlllg a flange 13 which encloses the periphery of the disc 12. Between the disc and the flange 13 of the plate is located, in a recess of suitable shape in the disc, a ball 1 1 (Fig. 1). When the disc 12 turns in the direction of the arrow F it carries along the plate 13 through the medium of the ball 14. This device therefore acts as a clutch having an instantaneous action and operating in the same way as certain free wheel devices.

Upon the plate 13 is mounted a gear wheel 15 engaging with the wheel 15 keyed upon the spindle 16 of the totalling device.

At the end of the spindle 16 is mounted a pointer 17 which turns in front of a dial 18 graduated in typographical measurements. The change from metric or other measure ments which might have been employed for determining the values of the radii of the cams 5 into typographical measurements, in order that the arcs described by the pointer will correspond to the divisions of the dial is easily effected through the medium either of the dimensions'of the arms of the lever 7 or by the differences judiciously chosen in pitch of the teeth of the various gears.

As mentioned above a lever 1 (with its sector 3) and a cam 5 (with a pinion 4) are provided for each key on the keyboard. The mechanism comprises a rod tangential to all the cams 5 in the position of rest which is attached to the shaft 8. In order to obtain rigidity in the movement'several of these rods may be attached to the fixed shaft 8. The fixed shaft 8 will be at least as long as the fixed shaft 6 to which it is parallel.

All that part of the mechanism situated to the left of the fixed shaft 8 in Figure 1 is single for the Whole of the apparatus. In

other words with the set of levers 1 the cams 5 and the levers 7, equal in number to the number of keys on the keyboard, there are combined one single disc 12, one single plate 13 and one single gear train 1515.

It goes without saying that the pinions 1515 may be bevel pinions if it is desired to make the dial 18 face the operator.

The spindle of the pointer is provided at its outer end with a knob 19 by means of which the operator can advance the pointer by hand in order to record the matrices which as they are not composed by means of the keyboard are naturally not registered automatically.

Naturally the invention is not limited to the constructional details hereinbefore described only illustrated di.agrammatically in the accompanying drawing. Various modifications may be made in. these details without on that account going outside the scope of the invention.

What I claim is 1. A composing apparatus for a type setting machine, comprising a cam shaft, cams mounted so as to be free to turn on said shaft, and corresponding in number to the number of matrices and consequently to the number of keys on the keyboard, of each cam representing a matrix and the lift of each cam being proportional to the thickness of the matriX it represents, means for producing the lift of the corresponding cam when a key is pressed in order to put into use matrix, a continuous recording device and means for transmitting the lift of (1am to this recording device each time a key is pressed, the recording device being graduated in typographical measurements representing the thickness of matrices, the arrangement being such that each time a key is pressed a record is made of the thickness of the matrix used so that the total thickness of the matrices used is recorded visibly.

2. A composing apparatus for a type setting machine, according to claim 1 further comprising means for fitting the apparatus to an existing type setting machine.

3. A composing apparatus for a type setting machine, according to claim 1, further comprising means for recording by hand on the recording device the thickness of matrices which are not composed by means of the keyboard.

1. A composing apparatus for a type set ting machine, comprising a cam shaft. cams mounted so to be free to turn on said shaft, and corresponding in number to the number of matrices and consequently to the number of keys on the keyboard, the lift of each cam being proportional to the thickness of the matrix it represents, a dial graduated in typographicalmeasurements and a pointer moving in front of said dial, means for turning the corresponding cam each time a key is pressed and means for transmitting this movement to said pointer; the arrangement being such that the movement of the pointer is always in the same direction and that the amount it moves is proportional to the thickness of the matrix brought into use, so that the total thickness of the matrices employed up to any movement can be read on said dial.

5. A composing apparatus for a type setting machine according to claim 1 further comprising means for iitting said apparatus to existing machines.

6. A composing apparatus for a type setting machine, according to claim a further comprising means for fitting said apparatus to existing machines, said means comprising rods proportional in number to the cams and in length to the matrices they represent, said rods being adapted to be raised when the corresponding cam is put into movement and actuate the means transmitting the movement to said pointer, the cams in this case being all of the same size.

7. A composing apparatus for a type setting machine, according to claim. at further comprisin means for turning said pointer by hand for the purpose of recording on the dial the thickness of matrices employed which are notregistered by the use of the keyboard.

8. A composing apparatus for a type setting machine, according to claim A wherein, in the case of a machine comprising a plurality of magazines, the number of cam shafts is the same as the number of magazines, the said cam shafts being adapted to be inter changed with the same ease as the maga- Zines.

9. A composing apparatus for a type setting machine comprising sectors corresponding to the thickness of the matrices, said sectors being adapted to have a continuous movement of rotation, and an. intermediate rotary clutch member adapted to engage during the time a sector takes to make a complete turn.

10 A composing apparatus for a type setting machine, comprising sectors correspond ing in number and thickness to the matrices and adapted to turn, means for connecting each sector to the keyboard so that when the operator presses on a the corresponding sector is turned, a rotatable clutch system having an instantaneous action and adapted to engage during the time a sector is turned and transmit the movement of this sector and intermediate means between said sectors and said clutch adapted to enable said sectors to actuate said clutch when said sectors are individually turned, the dimension of importance in each sector being the radius of eccentricity of that point of said sector which is proportional to the thickness of the corresponding matrix.

11. A composing apparatus for a type setting machine, according to claim 10 wherein the sectors are oscillatably mounted.

12. A composing apparatus for atype setting machine according to claim 10 further comprising means for fitting said apparatus to existing type setting machines.

13. A composing apparatus for a type setting machine according to claim 10, further comprising means for fitting said apparatus to existing machines, said means comprising rods proportional in length to the thickness of the matrices, said rods being adapted to be raised by the action of said sectors and said sectors in this case having all the same dimension.

14. A composing apparatus for a type set-- ting machine according to claim 1, the means for producing the lift of a cam comprising a fixed shaft parallel to the cam shaft, bell crank levers, one for each cam, oscillatably mounted on said shaft one end of each of said levers being operatively connected to the corresponding key, the other comprising a toothed sector and each cam comprising a toothed wheel engaging with said toothed sector, the arrangement being such that a pressure on a key swings the corresponding bell crank lever and turns the cam with which said lever co-operates.

15. A composing apparatus for a type setting machine according to claim 1, wherein the recording device comprises a dial graduated in typographical measurements and a rotatable spindle carrying a pointer moving always in one direction in front of said dial, said spindle being arranged to be rotated by said transmitting means each time a key is pressed.

16. A composing apparatus for a type setting machine according to claim 1, wherein the lift of a cam, which is proportional to ,the matrix put into use, is transmitted to therecording device through a clutch device which is engaged over the period of time the cam is in movement.

17. A composing apparatus for a type settingmachine, comprising a fixed shaft, bell crank levers oscillatably mounted. on said shaft and corresponding in number to the number of keys on the keyboard, means for connecting each lever to the keyboard so that it is made to swing when the key it represents is pressed, a cam shaft parallel to said lined shaft, cams mounted. freely on said cam shaft, one for each of said levers, the lift of each cam being proportional to the thickness of the matrix to which it corresponds, a toothed sector on each bell crank lever and a toothed wheel on each cam, engaging with said sector, for transmitting the movement of said levers to their corresponding cams in order to turn said cams, a second fixed shaft parallel to said other shafts, armed levers oscillatablv mounted on said shaft, one for each of said cams, one end of each of said levers bearing on its corresponding cam and being lifted by said cam when the latter is turned, a toothed sector on the other end of each of said levers, a rotatable shaft, toothed wheels on said shaft engaging one with each of said sectors the arrangement being such that the pressure on a key actuates the corresponding bell-crank lever, turns the cam connected to said bell crank lever and raises the ends of the two armed. lever pressing on said cam by an amount equal to the lift of the cam, the toothed sector at the other end of this two armed lever rotating the rotatable shaft by an amount proportional to the thickness of the matrix put into use by the pressure of said key, a disc keyed on said rotatable shaft, a plate loosely mounted on said shaft and a flange on said plate enclosing the periphery of said disc, said disc being adapted to drive said plate in one direction by means of a tapered notch in said disc and a ball in said notch, forming a free wheel device, a toothed wheel on said disc, concentric with it, a spindle, and a toothed wheel on said spindle engaging with said toothed wheel, a pointer on said spindle, and a dial graduated in typographical measurements, said pointer moving in front of said dial, the arrangement being such that the rotating of the rotatable shaft always in the same direction rotates said disc and thereby said plate, when a cam is actuated, said plate turning said pointer through said toothed wheels, so that the total thickness of the matrices used up to any moment can be read on said dial.

18. A composing apparatus for a type setting machine, according to claim 17 further comprising a knob on the free end of said spindle whereby said pointer can be turned by hand for the purpose of registering on said dial the thickness of matrices which are not composed by means of the keyboard.

19. A composin apparatus for a type setting machine according to claim 17, in the case of its application to an existing machine, further comprising a frame running along the ends of the two armed levers which cooperate with the cams, a bar lengthwise in said frame, rods mounted in said frame having slots whereby they slide on said bar, each rod corresponding to one of said cams and being proportional in length to the matrix it represents, said cams lifting said rods and thereby said levers when they turn, said cams being in this case all of the same size and the distance from said cam shaft to said two armed lever being equal to the large radius of eccentricity of said earns.

20. A composing apparatus for a type setting machine according to claim 17 wherein the toothed wheels driving said pointer are bevel pinons arranged so as to make said dial face the operator.

21. A. composing apparatus for a type setting machine according to claim 17, wherein the cams are such that the difference in their radii represents the thickness of a matrix.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ROBERT BARENNES. 

